Suitcase



Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITE ASTTS rarer rien.

SUITCASE.

Application filed .Tuly 14, 1921. Serial N'o. 484,701.

To all cli/wm t may concern:

Be it known that SUSANNAH M. FnnrLnwEH, a citizen of the United States,residing at 412 Church Street, Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchessand State of New York, has invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Suitcases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements intraveling-cases, and more particularly in that type of traveling casescommonly known on the market as dress suit cases, and is especiallydesigned as an improvement in the construction shown in Patent No.758,170 of April 26, 1904.

In the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes onlyand are therefore not drawn to scale Fig. 1 is a perspective view of adress-suit case constructed in accordance with my invention, the coveror lid of the same beingl partially raised to more clearly illustratethe construction.

F ig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the same, the cover beingin its closed position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a corner portion of the casemade on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inner part of the casedetached from the outer part thereof.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the upper edge portion of thebody of the case.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of theinvention and in which drawings like parts are designated by likereference characters throughout the several views, the numeral lrepresents a dress suit case of the usual form, comprising a rectangularbody or box 2 having an open top or face adapted to be closed by ahinged cover or lid 3. rlhe sides and ends, 4 and 5, respectively, ofthe body 2 are, as shown, constructed of outer and inner layers orthicknesses 6 and 7 of suitable material, between which, adjacent totheir upper edges, is interposed an intermediate rectangularre-inforcingl frame 8 of sheet metal. The metal frame and inner layer ofthe suit case body project above the upper edge of the outer layer, andare bent inwardly, as at 9, to form a surrounding inclined edge 10 forthe open top or face of the body. The metal frame may extend down to anydesired extent between the inner and outer layers of the suit case frameand the three layers secured together in any suitable manner. It will beseen that the metal re-inforcing frame forms an exceedingly durable andrigid rim for the open top or face of the body and that the down-turnededges l1 of the hinged cover or lid 3 rest securely upon said beveledrim to provide a simple and effective closure for the case.

In carrying out the present invention, the metal reinforcing frame ismade in one single continuous piece, the metal being crimped at thecorners, as at 12, in forming the inwardly bent projecting portion. Itwill also be noted that the rivets 13 which secure the hinges 14 for thecover as well as the handle 15 in place, extend through the metalre-inforcing frame, whereby the lid and handle are securely held againstpulling out, as is now frequently the case.

The inner layer 7 of the suit case body is recessed, as at 16, toreceive the hinges 14. Thus the rivets will only extend through thehinges and metal re-inforcing frame 8 and the hinges will be countersunkor disposed with their inner faces iiush with that of said inner layer,as shown more particularly in Figure 2.

The edges of the inner leaves of the hinges abut against the edges ofthe recesses and thus the hinges are braced in their positions upon theframe 8. The knuckles of the hinges are housed in the recesses and theinward bend or angle 9 prevents articles of clothing contained withinthe body of the case from catching in the knuckles of the hinges.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, itis thought 'that the construction, operation and advantages of myinvention will be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

A suit case comprising a body having a bottom portion and four wallportions, a continuous reinforcing frame of sheet metal secured to theinner surface of the walls of the body and projecting above the upperedges thereof, said projecting portions being inwardly inclined at theline of the upper edges of the walls of the body, a lining applied tothe inner surface of the reinforcing fraine and lying against theinclined poitionsthereof, a lid having edgeV walls adapted to receivethe inclined portions of the reinforcing fianie and the liningand restupon the upper edges of the Walls of the body, hinges having leavessecured to the inner surface of one of the edge Walls of the lid, thelining having recesses Wliiehsnugly receive the other leaves of thehinges, seeiiring devices connecting the last mentioned leaves of thehinges With the reinforcing fra-ine, Jche said recesses being extendedinto the lining at the adjacent inclined portion thereof and theadjacent inclined portion of SUSANNAH M FREILEVEH.

